The Conservatives have pledged £10 billion for a UK missile-and-drone defence system — dubbed 'Britannia Shield' and described as a British 'Iron Dome' — if they win the next general election. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge called it 'the most significant upgrade to UK air defence for generations.'
The integrated network of radar, command-and-control and interceptors would defend critical infrastructure, military bases and sovereign territories. The announcement is set to be made at the Tory party conference.
The pledge positions defence spending as a major fault line ahead of the next general election, with the party framing the shield as essential protection against the modern threats of missiles and drones.
